


The Angel

by Dreaming_gamer



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, set during dmc5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:55:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24356164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreaming_gamer/pseuds/Dreaming_gamer
Summary: V truly didn't think the boy was fit for this kind of work. Yes, despite Takuya being a teen of supposedly 15 years or so, V referred to him as a boy. For Takuya felt… pure, in a way V and the others did not.Just a short scene set during DMC5, when the gang is heading for the Qliphoth.





	The Angel

V truly didn't think the boy was fit for this kind of work. Yes, despite Takuya being a teen of supposedly 15 years or so, V referred to him as a boy. For Takuya felt… pure, in a way V and the others did not. 

In fact, V felt defiled, whenever he was around the boy. His memories of his past failures, the actions he had taken to ensure his own survival. 

The truth he withheld from his fellow hunters, even now. It all seemed to come up to the surface, making him… not feel shame, at least not outwardly. But he felt very much that he did not wish to be around the boy, Takuya, more than was necessary. 

The boy however, seemed to have other ideas. V held in a sigh as he leaned against Nico's van, eyes focused on his book, but he was very aware of the… puppy eyes, from the boy sitting on a small chair by the fire, watching V while eating from his heated can of soup. Nico and Nero were engaged in conversation over their food, eating with gusto. The two of them had quickly taken to including the boy, whom V very much expected to be an orphan now, considering the state they had found him, or more accurately, his home in. 

The house had been close to overrun by the Qliphoth roots he and Nero were working hard to exterminate, all except the small room where they had come across the boy, the roots having kept the door shut, but the boy miraculously unscathed. At the sight of his home, he had grown concerned, calling for his parents yet again, but with no reply.

V did not want to admit how much that raw desperation to find a familiar face had twisted in his gut. How it made a very old memory resurface… As such, he had told Takuya the truth, that his family was most likely dead. It had made something in the boy’s eyes shatter and Nero had glared at V, demanding to know what his problem was, but V did not take back his claim. He could admit, perhaps it was cruel. 

But he also deemed it better to pluck the small hope in the bud, or it would hurt so much more later, when the boy realized there was no familiar arms to hold him close anymore. 

Why the boy seemed intent on remaining in his company after that, V could only guess.

It seemed like the boy was just itching to ask something, from his seat by the fire but not wanting to disturb him. 

Finally, V had enough of the quiet staring. 

"Do you require my assistance with something?" V kept his voice perfectly calm, his gaze remaining on his book. 

He could still hear the boy gulp, inhale before asking:

"Aren't you cold? It's getting chilly." He asked, sounding less nervous than V would have guessed from his earlier reaction. It was an innocent question, but not necessary. 

V used his cane, wordlessly pointing the tip towards Shadow, lounging at his feet. 

"Oh, right. The kitty helps huh? But um…" Takuya seemed to bite his lip, pausing what he was about to say. 

V closed his book, giving the boy a small smirk. 

"He who desires, but act not, breeds pestilence… so it is written." He said smoothly, feeling his smirk grow as the boy's bluegreen eyes widened in confusion. As V suspected, poetry was nothing the boy understood, much like Nero. Shadow got off his feet as V made an attempt to move. The evening was progressing into night after all, so a little bit of rest would be good, for the next day of devil hunting. Their progress towards the Qliphoth was… much too slow, for V's liking. They still had much to do, _he_ had even more to do, to fix, if this mistake, the Qliphoth’s existence was to be corrected. 

"Goodnight, V!" The clear, happy-go-lucky tone almost made V pause his step. The child’s family was most likely gone, how did he still manage a smile?

“Goodnight.” He smoothly replied. Again, he wondered when they’d reach the human line of defence, so that somebody could make sure that Takuya got to safety… Because despite the boy’s wishes, letting him stay in their company was much too dangerous.

V sighed into the darkness. The van was quiet, the sofa under him not the most comfortable place to sleep. But he wasn't expecting a satin bed or something, during this mission. This time he might have left on this earth, in this state. He was exhausted, if truth was to be told, there had been quite a bit of fighting during the day. Nico's half snoring did not bother him, Nero gave her a light shove when she was being too noisy after all. 

What bothered him, however… 

… were the sleepy mumbles of an orphaned boy with dark blonde curls, sleeping under the desk, in one corner in the van. 

There were no words to really make out, but there was mumbles about something. Positive or negative in nature, he couldn't really tell. The rest of the van did not seem to notice, not even Shadow or Griffon. The avian was perched on one of the shelves, while the panther rested by his feet. The boy's smaller stature had made him perfect for the small space under the bench, but V had certainly not expected… him to speak in his sleep. 

_What could he possibly be dreaming about, that was so important that he needed to speak to it, in the dead of night?_ In truth, V had a feeling. Nightmares, he certainly recalled how those could burst into a young mind during sleep. 

V tried to ignore it, fall asleep again. He certainly needed it, his limbs feeling sore from the long day. 

It couldn’t have passed more than ten minutes, when he heard quiet shuffling from the back of the van. From the small space under the bench, in fact. 

V stayed still, perhaps the boy just needed the bathroom, it was no big deal, he could pretend to sleep through it. 

What he did not expect however, was to hear a sob. 

V let out a weak sigh through his nose, and he heard Takuya's breath hitch. The boy certainly had better hearing that he'd thought.. 

V broke the silence. 

"Can you not sleep?" He asked with a low, smooth voice, his eyes adjusting slowly to the darkness of the van. The boy seemed to carry his blanket over his shoulders. 

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to-- I'll be going.."

"Opening the door will surely wake them all up." V pointed out, as he heard the boy shuffle again. But he was quieter than V had thought he'd be. A sleepy Nero was about as soundless as a bull in a China shop and V had sort of expected the same from this teen, no, boy.

"Then I'll just… G'night, V." Takuya said, but it was obviously with a heavy heart. 

V was uncertain, perhaps he should just let it be. Or perhaps… this was an opportunity to convince the boy to go. On the battlefield, more people was definitely needed, but this mission… V was still unsure, about letting the boy join. To their surprise, he could handle knives, but he was much too young. Much could go wrong and from what he knew, the boy was as human as could be and he certainly had no demons to aid him. 

"What is ailing you?" V knew he himself would not reply, directly if anyone asked him. But this boy seemed to not be able to tell a lie, or withhold truth at all. 

The answer was not what V expected, however. 

"You… You quoted Blake earlier, right?" 

"I… certainly did." V replied, mildly interested in the change of topic. The fact that the boy even knew of Blake's works was a surprise. 

"My mother used to read this poem to me, you know… The Angel?" Takuya cleared his throat quietly. "Do you know it?" Something in the young man's voice tugged at V's heart. It was sorrow, he realized.

"Yes." 

_His innocence might have been stolen from him as well._

V merely patted the edge of the sofa. 

"Would you… like to hear it?" The poet offered, keeping his voice low, but gentle. 

The young man sat down, barely needing the prompt, it seemed. V inched further in on the sofa, giving Takuya as much space to sit as he could. Shadow just moved her head, over V's feet, she let the young man come close to her master. 

V said nothing when Takuya even laid down beside him. It was… a bit cramped and the teen's arms touched his, but he didn’t particularly mind. For now, he could grant the teen some sense of protection. V knew very well how it felt to desire that, after all… 

He had a lot to make up for. A moment of compassion… might be a small start. 

Quietly, he started to recite the poem from memory, the young man inching closer as V's words floated between them. 

_"I dreamt a dream. What can it mean?_

_And that I was a maiden Queen,_

_Guarded by an Angel mild_

_Witless woe, was ne'er beguil'd!_

_And I wept both night and day_

_And he wip'd my tears away_

_And I wept both day and night_

_And hid from him my hearts delight_

_So he took his wings and fled:_

_When the morn blush'd rosy red:_

_I dried my tears and armed my fears_

_With ten thousand shields and spears_

_Soon my Angel came again_

_I was arm'ed, he came in vain_

_For the time of youth was fled_

_And grey hairs were on my head"_

"Thank you.." Takuya's voice was quieter than he'd ever heard it, slow and sleepy. He didn't sound about to walk back to the small sleeping space under the bench. 

"You should… return to…" V fell quiet as Takuya suddenly wrapped his arms around his slim waist. 

Was this happening? The poet was about to ask Shadow assist the young man back to his own sleeping space but a sleepy sound made him pause. 

"Stay…?" Takuya's voice was so low it sounded like he was more in the land of dreams already. 

V couldn't help it, he chuckled. 

"Is this how you ask… permission?" He questioned, but a sleepy mumble was his only response. The grip around his waist was not terribly tight and the young man's hair smelled nice. Citrusy, he noted. It was a warm, soothing scent. 

_Just for tonight…_ Perhaps it was fine to not be alone, just for a little while. 

Slowly, V placed one arm around the young man's shoulder, just to make sure Takuya wouldn’t fall off and bring V with him in the fall. 

Or maybe, it was nice to share closeness for one night. 

To not be armed, until the morn blush'd. 

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to explore a scene with V taking care of somebody who has been put in the same situation he was once, wanting to be protected and loved, but being alone. And the poem "The Angel" by William Blake felt like it fit this little scene. Hope you enjoyed! :D


End file.
